Prospect Hot Sheet (Aug. 25): Nate Pearson Proves Unhittable

This installment of the Prospect Hot Sheet considers what minor league players did from Aug. 18-24. Number in parentheses indicates players’ ages.

Remember, this simply recognizes what the hottest prospects in the minors did in the past week—it’s not a re-ranking of the Baseball America Top 100 Prospects.

1. Nate Pearson, RHP, Blue Jays (21)
Short-season Vancouver (Northwest)

Coming into this year’s draft out of the JC of Central Florida, Pearson was seen was one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in this year’s draft class. He’s lived up to every expectation so far. Kept on short pitch limits (a 60-pitch outing this week is his only outing with more than 50 pitches), Pearson has been unhittable. He’s working on a 10-inning hitless streak and the next run Pearson allows will be his first as a pro. He’s also hit triple digits on the radar gun while dominating.

ERA	IP	H	HR	BB	SO
0.00	7	0	0	1	7

2. Jon Duplantier, RHP, Diamondbacks (22)
High Class A Visalia (California)

Duplantier took a big step toward winning the minor league ERA title this week with a pair of excellent outings. He allowed earn runs in just one of his first 10 starts this year. He’s finishing up in impressive fashion as well, having allowed two earned runs in his past four starts.

ERA	IP	H	HR	BB	SO
0.90	10	5	0	6	17

3. Hudson Potts, 3B, Padres (18)
Low Class A Fort Wayne (Midwest)

Fort Wayne fans, you all must be living right. This has been a once-in-a-generation assemblage of talent for the TinCaps with Fernando Tatis Jr., Michel Baez, Adrian Morejon, Logan Allen, Pedro Avila, Reggie Lawson and Gabriel Arias having all played at least briefly in Fort Wayne. And now Potts, a first-round pick of the Padres in 2016, is starting to hit. Potts posted a .619 OPS in the first half. He’s hitting .279/.331/.498 in the second half.

AVG	OBP	SLG	XBH	BB	SB
.500	.567	.923	5	3	2

4. Daniel Johnson, OF, Nationals (21)
High Class A Potomac (Carolina)

If Austin Hays is the breakout star of the 2016 college outfield draft class, Johnson is his sidekick. After destroying the South Atlantic League, Johnson has been just as good after his promotion to Potomac. He’s topped 20-20 with 22 home runs and 21 stolen bases.

AVG	OBP	SLG	XBH	BB	SB
.417	.500	.833	6	4	2

5. Corbin Burnes, RHP, Brewers (22)
Double-A Biloxi (Southern)

Burnes has been a picture of consistency for the Brewers–he has 12 starts this year in which he didn’t allow an earned run. He’s had just four starts this year where he allowed three or more runs (and none where he’s allowed more than four). Burnes paints with a 91-94 mph fastball. It plays as more than one pitch because he can manipulate it.

ERA	IP	H	HR	BB	SO
0.00	8	2	0	2	8

6. Victor Robles, OF, Nationals (20)
Double-A Harrisburg (Eastern)

With high Class A Potomac, Robles posted a .377 on-base percentage and a .495 slugging percentage. Since he was promoted to Double-A Harrisburg, he’s posted a .377 on-base percentage and a .495 slugging percentage. S0 it’s fair to say the jump in competition hasn’t affected Robles in his first month in Double-A. He’s a dynamic speedster who can impact a game at the plate, in center field or on the basepaths.

AVG	OBP	SLG	XBH	BB	SB
.458	.519	.792	6	3	2

7. Bobby Dalbec, 3B, Red Sox (22)
Low Class A Greenville (South Atlantic)

Dalbec has had a pretty brutal first full season as he’s struggled to get to his immense raw power. A hamate injury is partly to blame and as he’s gotten further away from the injury his power is starting to reappear. He’s hit eight of his 10 home runs in the past two months as he’s started to put together more consistent at-bats.

AVG	OBP	SLG	XBH	BB	SB
.407	.529	.815	7	6	0

8. Matt Hall, LHP, Tigers (23)
Double-A Erie (Eastern)

Matt Hall is an acquired taste. He doesn’t blow hitters away with big fastball. In fact, his fastball could be described as a tick light. But his curveball is a pitch that has baffled hitters for years. He’s had to nibble a little more in Double-A, which may be a long-term concern, but his curveball still gets swings and misses, which should get him to the big leagues eventually.

ERA	IP	H	HR	BB	SO
1.39	13	7	0	5	15

9. D.J. Stewart, OF, Orioles (23)
Double-A Bowie (Eastern)

The Orioles’ farm system right now is the best it has been in several years. Hays is a big reason for that, but Stewart is included in that as well as the 2015 first-round pick has had a better year in Double-A this year than he had in Class A last year. The power has played this year with 19 home runs to go with 18 stolen bases.

AVG	OBP	SLG	XBH	BB	SB
.417	.517	.792	5	5	1

10. Rogelio Armenteros, RHP, Astros (23)
Triple-A Fresno (Pacific Coast)

Armenteros looks like a massive bargain as a $40,000 find out of Cuba. He has a legit five-pitch mix including a fastball that will touch 95. He’s struck out nine or more in each of his past five Triple-A starts.

ERA	IP	H	HR	BB	SO
0.00	7	1	0	2	9

11. Jahmai Jones, OF, Angels (19)
High Class A Inland Empire (California)

If the Orioles’ farm system has taken a step forward, the same thing can be said about the Angels. That is in part because of the most recent draft class, but the development of players such as Jones are a big reason for it as well. After a solid first half in the Midwest League, Jones has taken off since arriving in Inland Empire. The toolsy outfielder has a 25-game hit streak and he has hits in 38 of his past 39 games.

AVG	OBP	SLG	XBH	BB	SB
.321	.345	.857	7	1	1

12. Taylor Trammell, OF, Reds (19)
Low Class A Dayton (Midwest)

Trammell’s first full season has been everything the Reds could have hoped for. He’s shown an understanding for working counts, developing power and an aggressiveness on the basepaths that makes him a nuisance for any battery. The former high school running back’s speed has paid dividends as he’s stolen 38 bases to go with 10 triples this year.

AVG	OBP	SLG	XBH	BB	SB
.304	.448	.739	5	6	5

13. Daulton Varsho, C, Diamondbacks (20)
Short-season Hillsboro (Northwest)

Unlike most catchers, Varsho can run. Unlike most catchers, Varsho is athletic enough to play in the outfield. Unlike most catchers, Varsho can hit which is what he’s done so far. He’s an interesting combination of tools and skills, which makes him a potentially solid supplemental second-round pick for the Diamondbacks.

AVG	OBP	SLG	XBH	BB	SB
.381	.391	1.048	7	1	2

14. Kyle Cody, RHP, Rangers
High Class A Down East

Cody has a big fastball and he knows how to use it. A sixth-round senior sign out of Kentucky, Cody has exceeded expectations in his first full season by pitching off his fastball. His secondary offerings need refinement and there are scouts who expect he’ll eventually end up in the bullpen. But so far, so good.

ERA	IP	H	HR	BB	SO
0.00	7	1	0	2	8

15. Pedro Avila, RHP, Padres (20)
Low Class A Fort Wayne (Midwest)

In an organization filled with prospects who can light up a radar gun, Avila is more crafty than flame-throwing (92-93 mph fastball). But he has four pitches, locates them well and he can miss bats thanks to an excellent curveball. Avila wasn’t ready for high Class A yet, but the former Nationals prospect is looking like a great return for Derek Norris. He’s eighth in the minors with 155 strikeouts.

ERA	IP	H	HR	BB	SO
1.22	7.3	4	1	2	13

16. Lucas Erceg, 3B, Brewers (22)
High Class A Carolina (Carolina)

Erceg came into the season with lofty expectations after a dominating pro debut in 2016 and a strong spring training. His season has been a disappointment by those standards as his power has only come into play sporadically. But he is finishing strong as August (.289/.379/.447) is his best month of the season.

AVG	OBP	SLG	XBH	BB	SB
.455	.586	.727	4	7	0

17. Ibandel Isabel, 1B, Dodgers (22)
High Class A Rancho Cucamonga (California)

Isabel has some of the best raw power in baseball, although it comes with some impressive strikeout rates as well. Isabel leads the California League with 27 home runs and is clearing the fence once every 15 at-bats. His swing-and-miss issues will likely keep him from a big league future, but guys with his kind of power always have a chance.

AVG	OBP	SLG	XBH	BB	SB
.375	.400	.792	4	1	0

18. Darick Hall, 1B, Phillies (21)
Low Class A Lakewood (South Atlantic)

Hall set the Lakewood single-season home run record with his 25th home run this week and then added two more for good measure. Hall’s power has never been questioned—he hit 20 home runs for Dallas Baptist last year. How well his swing will adapt to more advanced pitching is more of a question. The record he broke was that of Jose Pujols, who set it with 24 last year. Pujols is hitting under .200 this year in high Class A as a cautionary tale.

AVG	OBP	SLG	XBH	BB	SB
.367	.406	.700	4	2	0

19. Brent Rooker, OF, Twins (22)
High Class A Fort Myers (Florida State)

With 16 home runs, Rooker leads all 2017 draftees. But it’s the nine home runs in 35 games in the Florida State League that really stand out. It’s near-impossible to hit for power in the FSL. Rooker did strike out 11 times this week, so there are some swing-and-miss issues, but plenty of power as well.

AVG	OBP	SLG	XBH	BB	SB
.385	.407	.808	5	1	0

20. Khalil Lee, OF, Royals (19)
Low Class A Lexington (South Atlantic)

Lee’s season has been an interesting melange of the good and the bad but with a lot more good than bad. He strikes out too much (33.2 percent) but also draws walks (11 percent of plate appearances). He can run and has promising power. After a brutal July where he hit .157, Lee is finishing strong. August has been his best month of the season statistically.

AVG	OBP	SLG	XBH	BB	SB
.375	.406	.793	7	5	0

HELIUM WATCH

Randy Ventura, OF, Reds (19)
Low Class A Dayton (Midwest)

Ventura was a speedy outfielder who was a little buried in low Class A Rome because he was on the same roster with defensive wiz/speedster Cristian Pache. After being traded to the Reds for international signing bonus space, he’s playing at low Class A Dayton where he’s a little buried because he’s on the same roster as defensive wiz/speedster Jose Siri. But Ventura has a clear path to the big leagues himself as a top-of-the-scale runner. He can bunt and he can play center or left field, giving him a potential big league backup projection. He hit .367/.394/.667 this week with four doubles, a triple and a home run.